Aloha Lures

KAILUA, HAWAII — ACTIVE YEARS 1983 – PRESENT

Aloha Lures is the work of Erik "Merlin" Rusnak, who weigh and shape each head to echo the swimming action of a marlin's favorite baitfish and squid. Their calling card is a nearly indestructible clear resin head packed with flashing internal mirrors — a look built to throw light and trigger reaction strikes in blue water.

The range is broad and shape-driven: beveled-head pear lures in several sizes, the V-cut Super Ninja that wiggles on the troll, and the cupped, bubble-throwing Mongo Kona built for rough water. Their best-known lure is the Smash Bait — a 14-inch beveled-head tube that Marlin named among the top five marlin lures on the market in 2017 and that has accounted for numerous granders. It's the kind of modern Hawaiian design that now travels to billfish grounds worldwide.

As a museum and archive, we're honored to document the work of Aloha Lures and the Rusnak brothers.

Notable shapes: Smash Bait, Super Ninja, Mongo Kona (and Large/Medium Mongo), Deep Six, Disco, Beauty

Identification tips:

• Clear/near-indestructible resin heads with internal flashing mirrors
• Distinctive cut profiles — the V-notch Super Ninja and cupped Mongo Kona are recognizable
• Modern, often labeled/brande

Below, you’ll find our ever-growing digital archive showcasing every lure that has come through our shop. This collection is constantly evolving as new lures arrive, making it a living record of rare, limited-production lures. We will continue updating this database regularly, building what we aim to be the largest digital archive of offshore trolling lures in the world.

If you have any further information or any lures you believe deserve to be showcased, please reach out to us at ren@luremonger.com